Jonathan Hitt bidding for Huntsville City Council seat

Eric Schultz / The Huntsville TimesJonathan Hitt, 30, wants to use his accounting background to help Huntsville better manage its books. Hitt is seeking the District 3 city council seat.

HUNTSVILLE -- As a cost analyst for the Department of Defense, Jonathan Hitt is used to working with big numbers and making sure they add up

He wants to do the same thing for the Huntsville City Council, providing a clear-eyed look at the budget and planning issues so vital to city government.

A native of Huntsville, Hitt, 30, said he's been interested in politics for several years. Hitt and his wife have two young children and he wants to keep Huntsville a community they will want to live and work in as adults.

He decided to run for the District 3 seat being vacated by Sandra Moon after watching the Madison County jail project's costs rise from $30 million to $80 million.

Hitt said the city's budget will be among the biggest issues the council faces in the next few years. He said his experience as an auditor and budget analyst for a Fortune 100 company gives him a background ideally suited to ask the right questions on the front end, to ensure costs don't get out of hand.

"Huntsville has a problem with prioritizing the budget," he said. "There are a lot of expenditures that are nice ideas, but in difficult times, we don't have the money for it. I will look through the budget and ask questions about what is necessary."

There is a crowded field of candidates bidding to replace Moon, including James Henley Jr., James Lomax, Shannon Matthew Moore, John Olshefski, Barry Pendergraft, Kelly Sims and Deborah Sobczak

Hitt said the South Parkway area in Huntsville needs a business revitalization. He said the time it took to build the Weatherly-Whitesburg overpass project hurt nearby businesses.

"We need to look at how best to advertise business in south Huntsville," he said. "I'd like to see a push by the Chamber of Commerce to do the job of business promotion in south Huntsville."

Hitt said a lack of accountability by the Huntsville Housing Authority in its decision-making process led to problems of public confidence and raised serious concerns for residents in his district. Hitt favors state legislation that would make the authority's operations more transparent and accountable to local officials.

He said he agrees public housing has a role to play in helping get people back on their feet, but he opposes the idea of "decentralizing poverty" throughout the community. His experience living in Memphis for two years showed him that crime can follow such efforts.

Hitt said working through difficult issues like community division over the Housing Authority or where dollars are spent requires the same kinds of skills he developed working as an auditor, including patience and a willingness to listen.

"As a senior auditor I went into situations where I had to sit down and tell a company CEO or chief financial officer, 'You are wrong,' and tell them they charged too much and they're not getting paid," he said. "I bring that experience of dealing with people and helping find solutions that are in the best interests of the government and the people involved."